Balamuthia mandrillaris brain infection: a rare cause of a ring-enhancing central nervous system lesion. Illustrative case

Abstract

BACKGROUND An 80-year-old man presented with subacute mental status change, dizziness, and left-sided vision loss. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a ring-enhancing right parietooccipital lesion. OBSERVATIONS Biopsy and laboratory testing demonstrated an amoebic Balamuthia mandrillaris infection. Fewer than 200 cases of this infection have been recognized in the United States, and no standardized treatment regimen currently exists. LESSONS Rapid antimicrobial therapy with miltefosine, azithromycin, fluconazole, flucytosine, sulfadiazine, and albendazole was initiated. The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of this infection and the patient’s course were reviewed. The importance of biopsy for pathologic and laboratory diagnosis and rapid treatment initiation with a multidisciplinary team was reinforced.